(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat-generating material for a portable hair curler, and to a hair curler using this heat-generating material.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a heat-generating material for a portable hair curler, which does not damage the hair during curling thereof and can be supplied at a low cost, is easily handled, rapidly curls the hair, and can be thrown away after use, and to a hair curler using this heat-generating material.
(2) Description of the Related Art
As is well-known, hair-curlers of the type utilizing the generation of heat by electricity are conventionally used, but, for structural reasons, hair curlers of this type are heavy and bulky, and are not easily portable.
With the recent development of pocket heaters utilizing a metallic heat-generating agent, various portable hair curlers (hot curlers) utilizing such a metallic heat-generating agent have been proposed. However, these hair curlers have the following disadvantages.
(1) For example, in a hair curler of the type where the hair is directly wound onto a metallic heat-generating material comprising a metallic heatgenerating agent contained in an air-permeable bag (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 59-16501), an excessive heat-generating effect is given to the hair, and the hair is often damaged. Moreover, since the hair must be touched by the hands when curling, there is a fear that problems will arise due to a breakage of the metallic heat-generating material. Especially, since women users generally allow their nails to grow very long for reasons of fashion, the risk of a breakage of the metallic heat-generating material is very high.
(2) In a hair curler comprising a metallic heat-generating agent packed in a hollow cylinder onto which the hair is wound (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 51-76782), since an element for fixing the hair is not included, generally the hair is not properly curled. Moreover, since the metallic heat-generating agent is packed in the cylinder, when the curler is to be used, it is difficult to promote the necessary oxidation for obtaining a heat-generating action by lightly shaking the metallic heat-generating material. Furthermore, since an element for fixing the hair is not included, the operation of winding the hair is cumbersome, and the curling operation cannot be performed rapidly or easily.
(3) A hair curler in which the above-mentioned disadvantages are eliminated was proposed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 51-81183. This hair curler is provided with a hair-fixing element, and thus the cumbersome operation of winding the hair is eliminated. However, since the composition of the metallic heat-generating agent is not specifically disclosed, it is difficult to ascertain whether it is possible to impart a moisturizing effect to the hair.
The reason why the composition of the heat-generating agent for generating heat by oxidation, as utilized for a hair curler, is not specified, is considered to be that this technique still needs much improvement and an effective composition has not been formulated as yet. Moreover, this non-clarification of the details of the composition leads one to assume that it is impossible to curl the hair while applying steam to the hair to attain a moisturizing effect, when this composition is used.
As other related arts, there can be mentioned Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 54-151585 entitled "Throwaway Self-Heat-Generating Hair Curler", Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 56-145402 entitled "Throwaway Hair-Winding Curler", Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 60-94101 entitled "Hair Curler", and Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 53-47744 entitled "Steam Hair Iron".
As can be seen from these prior arts, hair curler technology is rapidly developing.
The hair curler proposed in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 53-47744 is one of the most popular in use at present, but for structural reasons, the hair curler is not easily portable or easily used. The hair curler proposed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 60-94101 is disadvantageous in that the hair curler is not easily used and the cost is high, because butane gas or the like is used.
The self-heat-generating curlers disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 54-151585, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 59-16501, and Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 56-145402 are improved versions of the above-mentioned hair curlers, in that they handle easily and cost less, and users are able to carry and use them as portable hair curlers. In these self-heat-generating hair curlers, since water is removed from the hair wound on a hair-curling member, on the contact side, to attain a curling effect (the hair is bent or coiled), an imbalance in the water content of the hair often occurs. Accordingly, these hair curlers are defective in that damage to the hair is repeated and worsened when the hair is curled many times successively and thus it is difficult to maintain the hair in a healthy state.
Accordingly, these conventional portable hair curlers (hot curlers) have not been marketed because of these defects. Further, even if marketed, safe transportation or use cannot be guaranteed, and a hair curler which satisfies all of the requirements of a rapid operation, ease of handling, and lasting curling and moisturizing effects, has not been developed.